MPA Groups

Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies: MPA-CINT is a Department of Energy/Office of Science Nanoscale Science Research Center (NSRC) operating as a national user facility devoted to the establishment and leadership of a scientific community dedicated to nanoscience integration challenges.

CINT is one of five NSRCs throughout the U.S. that form an integrated national program, affiliated with major facilities at the DOE’s National Laboratories, to cover the diverse aspects of nanoscience and technology. In addition to CINT’s Gateway to Los Alamos Facility, the center provides open access to tools and expertise needed to explore the continuum from scientific discovery to the integration of nanostructures into the micro and macro world through its core facility in Albuquerque.

Condensed Matter and Magnet Science
The Condensed Matter and Magnet Science Group (MPA-CMMS) is comprised of research scientists, technicians, postdocs, and students specializing in experimental physics research, with a strong emphasis on fundamental condensed matter physics with complimentary thrusts in correlated electron materials, high magnetic-field science and technology, and thermal physics.

MPA-CMMS hosts the Pulsed Field Facility of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL-PFF) located at TA-35 while new material synthesis, low temperature expertise, and various low-energy spectroscopies are located at TA-3. The NHMFL-PFF is a national user facility for high magnetic field science sponsored primarily by the National Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research, with branches at Florida State University, the University of Florida, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. (Check out the NHMFL Web site for more details)

Capabilities

National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Pulsed Field Facility
The Pulsed Field Facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, is one of three campuses of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL), the other two being at Florida State University, Tallahassee (continuous fields, magnetic resonance, and general headquarters), and the University of Florida, Gainesville (ultra-low temperatures at high magnetic fields). The NHMFL is sponsored primarily by the National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research, with additional support from the State of Florida and the US Department of Energy.

Los Alamos provides unique resources to the Pulsed Magnetic Field Laboratory of the NHMFL in the form of a 1.4 GVA inertial storage motor-generator for high field pulsed magnets. In addition to the 60 Tesla Long Pulse Magnet powered by the motor-generator, the NHMFL features capacitor-driven pulsed magnets.

The NHMFL supports a user facility open to all qualified users, develops magnet technology in association with the private sector, and advances science and technology opportunities using high magnetic fields. Take a virtual tour of the NHMFL at Los Alamos.

Correlated Electron Materials Thrust
Materials physics research in MPA-CMMS is organized around the theme “new physics through new materials”, with an historical and continuing focus on discovering new phenomena in strongly correlated electron materials. Our emphasis is on heavy-fermion systems where electronic correlations enhance the effective mass of charge carriers to as much as 1000 times the mass of a free electron, leading to novel superconducting and magnetic behavior.

We also have a strong scientific and applied interest in novel plutonium and actinide materials. Broadly, our materials physics thrust is composed of three interconnected efforts: materials preparation/crystal growth, thermodynamic and transport measurements at extreme conditions (pressure/temperature/magnetic field), and low-energy spectroscopies.

Thermal Physics Thrust
The thermal physics R&D activities in MPA-CMMS have common roots in thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and statistical mechanics. Projects range from fundamental research to industrial applications. Teams within this thrust include Thermoacoustics and Nonlinear Dynamics.